CHAPTER NINE

At eight months pregnant, Annie is finding it more than difficult to maneuver herself around the house. I'm not helping with being so overprotective. From helping her down the stairs to going to the grocery store for her, I sometimes feel more in the way than a help. It's not her fault. I feel bad all on my own. Annie stands in the kitchen boiling tea bags in a pot. One hand rests on her large belly, and the other pinches the tea out of tea bags with tongs. She tosses each in the trash lazily. I sit at the dining room table with a mug of coffee.

"You're awfully quiet," she comments.

"What?"

She looks over her shoulder. Annie's face, arms and legs are thin compared to her belly. She raises her brows at me and purses her lips.

"You're very quiet. Since when do you get quiet?"

She has a point…

"Since my wife is eight months pregnant. Since in a month I'm going to be a dad…"

"So you're practicing being quiet for when we finally get our baby to sleep?"

I nod at her once and she smiles at me warmly.

"Are you excited or scared?"

"Yes," I reply quickly.

Annie laughs her beautiful, loud laugh that makes my stomach do flips. She always laughs at everything I say.

"I read that book you got me…" I murmur, playing with handle of my coffee mug.

"What chapter are you on?"

"Annie, I read it. Like, I read all of it…"

Throwing out another tea bag she looks at me and smiles, tears in her eyes.

"Good tears, right?"

She giggles and nods at me, a few tears escaping.

"Yes. Good tears."

She turns back to the stove and puts down the tongs, picking up the pot by the side handles. I stand swiftly and cross over to Annie's side making sure she doesn't spill the boiling hot water on herself. I try to be quiet. I know she wants me to relax as far as my keeping an eye on her goes. Annie pours the boiling pot of tea into the pitcher, then fills it with chilled water.

"Finnick, I love you, but you need to lay off," Annie sighs.

"It's your own fault. You went and got pregnant so I don't have a choice…"

"Okay, but I couldn't have gotten pregnant without you. You're just as much to blame as me."

I gently kiss her neck and grab the now empty pot of boiling water from her, casually tossing it in the sink with a clang. I slowly kissed her on the cheek next and then nibbled her ear. She laughed softly and then looked at me over her shoulder with a grim smile.

"I look disgusting, Fin. You don't have to do that," Annie sighs.

"I think you look sexy," I whisper to her.

She turns her head and kisses me on the lips.

"You're wonderful," she smiles.

I nod onto her shoulder and she giggles filling the rest of the pitcher of iced tea with cold water.

"Put that in the fridge?" she asks handing me the jug of now chilling iced tea.

"You nervous and excited too, Annie?" I ask.

"Very of each."

Giving her a gentle rub on the shoulder, I return to my seat at the table. She turns to face me, wiping a hand across her forehead.

"Annie, sit down."

"I'm fine, Finnick…"

"You're dripping with perspiration. Will you please sit down? Please," I groan.

With a loud sigh, she crosses to the table and sits beside me, giving me a look.I smile innocently and put my arm around her shoulders. Her head slowly falls on my shoulder and she lets out a breath of contentment. I kiss the top of her head.

"Why don't you let me cook dinner tonight?" I ask her.

She laughs softly and I feel her shake her head on my shoulder.

"Why not?"

"Because I know how to cook, Fin!" she laughs.

"You need to be relaxing. Taking a break."

"Why?" she gawks.

"Because you are eight months pregnant, Annie. Eight months!"

"Okay, I know… but what does that have-"

"I'm just saying that this time next month you are going to be in labor. It's going to be exhausting. You need to rest up until the last second."

Annie blinks at me, her jaw agape just slightly.

"What?"

"Thank you, Fin. Now I'm definitely looking forward to next month!"

"Hey, hey, hey… I'll be there the whole time, okay? I'll be right by your side. You aren't going through this alone."

She focuses her intense eyes on mine, her brows furrowed. It's then that I see all the worry in her eyes. She's worried. Scared even. It almost makes me feel like I'm not doing my job as her husband. With me she should feel safe. With me she should feel safe and secure. Not worried.

I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"Fin, what is wrong?" she asks.

"I feel like I'm failing as your husband. You shouldn't be so worried with me here."

Her arms loop around my neck and she presses her lips to my forehead.

"It is not your responsibility to make sure that I am not worried. It doesn't matter how pregnant any woman is. She will forever feel worried. That's just part of being pregnant. Okay? Now, I love you and everything you do for me. You do everything possible for me. So relax. Sit down. Let me cook dinner."

She pecks me quickly on the cheek and hoists herself out of her chair with a grunt. I reach for the small of her back to help her stand and she gently pushes my hand away.

"I got it, Finnick."

I gave it a rest for the night. To my pleasant surprise, Annie made dinner fine on her own. She proved me wrong, that was for sure. I was incredibly proud too. She amazed me. Never ceased to.

After dinner we climbed into bed. I watched her fall asleep. That obnoxious snoring everyone says pregnant women do, Annie doesn't. She sleeps like an angel. Even at eight months pregnant she is still the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

"I love you, Annie," I whisper, brushing some hair out of her face.

And then, I fall asleep happily.

ANNIE'S POINT OF VIEW

Finnick is out fishing when the phone rings. I run to answer the phone as fast as I can.

"Hello?"

"Annie? It's Katniss."

"Oh, hey…um…hello."

"I need your advice."

I pause and not answer, signaling I'm ready for her to ask me a question.

"Peeta just asked me to be his girlfriend for real…"

"That's good," I reply.

"Is it really?"

"Do you like him?"

"I think so…" she replies.

"You won't know unless you find out. Give him a chance. He'll treat you right for sure. Peeta is a good guy."

There's a long pause before she answers.

"He is, isn't he?" she asks.

"Give him a chance, Katniss. I know I'm not necessarily the most reliable person to take advice from, but still… When it comes to love, I know what I'm talking about…"

There's another long pause.

"Katniss?"

"I'm here. You're right. I'm-I'm gonna say yes. I'll give him a shot…" she concludes.

"Good for you, Katniss."

"Bye, Annie."

"Bye," I say, hanging up

I've never had anyone ask me for advice. Not in a long time. Then again, I would come to me. I have the best husband of anyone in Panem.

"Annie!"

Speak of that handsome devil.

"The living room, baby!"

He enters the living room. I hold my breath only to see that he left the fish outside.

"I'm not THAT stupid, Annie. Did you honestly expect me to bring the fish inside? I've already took them to the market. Sold them all and look what I got," he smiles extending a palm full of currency towards me.

My eyes widen. That's quite a lot for a pale of fish.

"They asked how you were and gave me extra because you pregnant."

My brows raise.

"Really?" I gape.

"Yes, really. I'm telling you, you being pregnant is amazing for us. Financially and emotionally. maybe the financial part won't continue after this but I guarantee you, that emotionally you'll be exactly the same."

He sits beside me on the couch and sighs, placing one broad hand on my stomach.

"You're almost here, buddy. We can't wait to meet you," Finnick says to my stomach.

I can't take my eyes off of him. I've never seen Finnick so paternal. So grownup. It's amazing to see him this way. So mature. I had never been so in love with him. So attracted to him. I could tell then that he was going to be an amazing father. I knew that all along of course but I could really tell now.

He presses his lips to my belly, whispering something unintelligible. I stroke his head gently. He slowly raises it and presses his lips to mine.

"You're still attracted to me?" I laugh softly.

Finnick nods and kisses me firmer on the lips.

"You're the mother of my child. Of course I am."

I can't believe how sweet Fin is. That tough, strong man building me up. It's hard not to believe Finnick. He's convincing and sweet. Kind and considerate. I don't know where I'd be without him. Probably dead...